Subject: Announcing GNU-Script: (Was: Why you should not use Tcl)
From: [email-masked] (Tom Poindexter)
Date: 29 Sep 1994 02:41:24 GMT
Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss,comp.lang.scheme,comp.lang.tcl

(my tolerance level has just been reached......:-)

ANNOUNCING:  GNU-Script language specification

o Highlights of GNU-Script

	GNU-Script (currently not released) stands for "Gee In You-Script's 
not GNU-Script" and is pronounced ``onetruelanguage.'' 

GNU-Script solves every known computational problem every conceived.  GNU-Script
derives it's power from an elegant language design and kick-butt performance.
GNU-Script is portable, due to the fact that the reference implementation is 
written entirely in GNU-Script.  GNU-Script is so pure, we never had to 
bootstrap it in another language.

        GNU-Script is extensible, embeddable, and nearly edible.  If fact,
GNU-Script has 30% less fat than Perl, 40% more fiber than Lisp, and won't
constrict you like Python.  GNU-Script is a serious language, so you won't
get a Tcl out of it.

o GNU-Script License and Copyright Terms

GNU-Script is published under the TGPLV (Totalitarian GeeInYou-Script 
Pubic [sic] License Virus).  Basically, the terms of this license causes every 
piece of software you have ever written or will ever write, to be placed under 
the TGPLV.  In addition, the license is binding for three generations, so that
software written by your great-grandchildern is also covered by the TGPLV.

The mere fact that you are reading this GNU-Script language specification
means you have agreed to the terms of the TGPLV.  Trust us and fork over 
your code.  Resistance is futile.  You will be assimilated.

o GNU-Script Language Features:

- User defined algol-like or lisp-like syntax
- Single data type: string 
- Simple syntax:  command <arg> <arg> ...
- ARRAYS (Hooray!!):  set array(index) somevalue
- Variable substitution: $var causes expansion of var
- Nested execution: set var [command arg arg]
- List manipulations: lindex, lrange, lreplace, lifiknow, etc.

In addition, GNU-Script contains several handy high-level functions not
found in other scripting languages.  You'll probably use these at least
once per day:

language_jihad  -good language  -bad language-list   newsgroup-list

The "language_jihad" causes a posting the the named newsroups which extols
the virtues of the language specified in the "-good" option, while flaming
those languages that appear in the "-bad" option list.  Defaults are:
"-good GNU-Script" "-bad {list of all known languages}"  To ensure maximum
coverage, newsgroup list should be:
{comp.* rec.* talk.* gnu.* alt.* sci.* news.* info.*}, which is the default.

lisp_mode on | off

lisp_mode allows the(use(of)parentheses(to(appear))()(anywhere)())))(in the)
source)()code(.)(((((Note that(parentheses))do)not(have to)be balanced,(
because (lisp_mode)implies((( A )(( I),((()() so ()( the )
)langauge processor ))will know) the( (right(thing) )(to
))  ((((((((((do))))))).))))))))))

flame_bait -subject "subjectline"   posting

flame_bait sends a posting to inews and immediately trashes 
incoming mail that contains a follow-up (Subject: Re: xxxx). flame_bait also
unsubscribes that newsgroup from your .newsrc file for a period of two weeks.
Note that flame_bait is often used in conjunction with "language_jihad":

  flame_bait -subject "Why you should use GNU-Script" \
				      [language_jihad -good GNU-Script]

debug

Unlike debug implementations in other languages, "debug" does not merely
display diagnostic information, it actually debugs your program.

do_it {now | whenever-you-feel-like-it | until-done | forever}

do_it is a general purpose command.  In fact, it is so generalized, most
GNU-Script programs can just be written as:

  #!/usr/local/bin/gnuscript
  do_it
  exit

do_it takes one agrument.  The default is "now".

o Why you should use GNU-Script

Well, because I said so!  Every other langauge is an ugly hack.  Besides,
you are now bound by the TGPLV, so who cares.

GNU-Script will be the basis for all other software in the Gee In You
software family.  If you want us to distribute your software, it's gotta
be written in GNU-Script.

=======================================================================
Posted using GNU-Script's "flame_bait" command.  Don't bother replying.
=======================================================================

-- 
Tom Poindexter     [email-masked]  or  [email-masked]  
U S WEST Advanced Technologies,  Boulder, Colorado